Brownfield Redevelopment

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) defines brownfields as real properties whose redevelopment, reuse or expansion may be complicated by the possible presence of hazardous substances. The most common customers of brownfields services are the owners or prospective purchasers of abandoned properties who wish to restore their properties to productive use. ARM Environmental Services is highly experienced in all aspects of environmental monitoring and remediation, including brownfields redevelopment and voluntary cleanup contracts.

Benefits

The primary benefit of brownfield services is to make out of use properties productive. Brownfield properties are typically sold at a significant discount, so property owners must weigh the cost of the brownfields services against the price discount and potential liability protection to determine if the redevelopment makes economic sense.

Process

The current or prospective owners of brownfield properties begin the development process by applying for and receiving a contract from the government to redevelop the property. They must then carry out the terms of that contract, including assessment and remediation services as necessary. The assessment phase generally includes collecting soil, soil vapor, and groundwater samples, which will be analyzed for the presence of various contaminants. The composition of indoor air from on-site buildings may also be analyzed in some cases.

Standards

In 2002, Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, commonly known as the federal brownfields law was signed. Each state must implement its own set of programs to administer this law, which generally allow a non-responsible party to acquire a contaminated property with liability protection financed by the state. This protection ensures that prospective purchasers won’t be held responsible for existing contamination on the property.

Equipment

The major pieces of equipment that ARM uses in brownfield redevelopment projects include Geoprobe track-mounted units with Direct Push Technology (DPT) and larger rotary auger drill rigs, such as our new Diedrich D-50 Turbo. Additional equipment includes an extensive list of high tech instrumentation, pneumatic injection systems, and liquid ring vacuum trucks.

Qualifications

Our field technicians are qualified in all aspects of environmental site monitoring and remediation. They are certified for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training, which is covered under OSHA standard 29 CFR Part 1910.120. Our field technicians also have hands-on training for calibrating and operating site monitoring and remediation equipment. 

ARM provides a range of environmental services in the Southeastern United States, including brownfield redevelopment. Our professionals are prepared to meet with prospective buyers to assess their brownfield properties. Call us today so we can explain this process in greater detail and share our past projects with you.